chuck hagel, the former senator from nebraska, who is a highly decorated vietnam veteran. he was an infantry squad leader. welcome back to our coverage on msnbc. i'm chris jansing. we wish you all a very happy memorial day. we're honored to be joined by two retired generals, both vietnam veterans. general wesley clark with us today along with general barry mccaffrey. i didn't realize, general clark, when i was reading chuck hagel's biography, i knew he'd been a vietnam veteran, a highly decorated one. so was his brother, thomas. it brings to mind the sacrifices that so many families went through during that time to have in his case and many others more than one member of the family who served at the same time. >> that's exactly right. and it was a family decision as well as an individual decision. people knew the country was calling, and they went. some volunteered. some waited to be called.

but all through, especially through america's heartland, patriotic young men answered the call. we knew it was about more than action and adventure. we believed at the time it was essential to maintaining freedom in america. we saw it as an essential strategy of containment and stopping the spread of communism, stopping the fall of the dominos across southeast asia. and so we had a cause. >> i want to go live to this ceremony now. it has begun. we are going to be seeing, as we said, in just a short time, the president, but this is the chairman of the joint chiefs, chairman dempsey. >> we all feel a common resolve on memorial day to pause, if only for a moment, and to remember. this solemn tradition began in 1868 when decoration day was proclaimed by general john logan, commander of the grand

army of the potomac of the republic. and since our republic's founding, nearly 2.5 million of our countrymen and women have in the words of general logan, made their breasts a barricade between our country and its foes. some of their names are blasted into this granite wall. a wall and a war that some have compared to a scar. but history's temperance allows us to see success, where some only saw failure. to see hope, where some only saw loss. and to see valor where some simply refused to look. vietnam, its veterans and their families, are not something apart from us. they are as fundamental to our national story and as instrumental to our national security as any veteran of any war. the war's 50th anniversary gives

us an opportunity to remember and reflect on their story. in the years ahead, our military family will join with the rest of the american family to remember, to learn, and to see ourselves with a renewed perspective. right now, we can see the names of so many, too many, on the wall before us. these are america's sons and daughters, and today, their sons, their daughters, and even their grandchildren follow them in their service. my own first personal memory of war was in 1968. as a 16-year-old dishwasher in a small diner in upstate new york. i watched a vietnam veteran get off the bus, coming back from his first tour of duty in vietnam to be met by his family. and at a time in our history, when heroes were hard to find, i thought i'd found one. i'd never seen anybody so handsome, so physical, so

determined, so proud. captain john wayne, captain john graham, was his name, and he is a big part of the reason i went to west point. so in 1971 when i was at west point, he returned from his second tour of duty having been killed in action as an adviser to the vietnamese army. i attended that ceremony on a very cold day in the winter of 1971. his son is now on the faculty at west point. warrant officer roy thomas was a gun ship pilot with the 25th infantry division. he died in battle when his son was 4 months old. his son is an air force colonel on my staff today. john and roy with just two examples representative of thousands more who share a marshal bond with their fore bearers. whether they served in vietnam, or iraq, or afghanistan, whether they returned home or are still

awaiting their homecoming, there is no difference in their courage and in their sense of duty. there is no difference when it comes to fear and suffering. on the front lines and on the home front. there is no difference in the love and the longing of families. and there is no difference in the wounds that remain both seen and unseen. however, let us resolve today that there will be one essential difference, that we will never again allow our veterans and families to be left alone. left to feel somehow outside. left to fend for themselves. and let us resolve today to not just say, welcome home, but to truly -- [ applause ] -- and let us resolve today to not just say welcome home, but to truly welcome our troops home

with the respect and care that they and their families have earned. such resolve is evident in those who joined us today and joined together to support this memorial. we can see it in our president, our first lady, our secretary of veterans affairs and our secretary of defense. i know the secretary panetta shares my commitment to keep faith with our military family and keep in touch with the american people and i know he shares my unbounded pride in the men and women who served and have served in uniform. please join me in welcoming our secretary of defense, leon panetta. >> thank you very much, marty, tom. ladies and gentlemen. distinguished fe eed guests. america's veterans. i'm honored to be here today

with all of you, as we begin the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of america's participation in the vietnam war. memorial day is an appropriate opportunity for all americans to come together, to pay tribute to all those who have fought and died for our country. across more than 200 years, and on battlefields near and far. america's sons and daughters have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our liberties. to give us all a better life. at this hour, at this hallowed and haunting memorial, we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the vietnam war.

a war that occupies a central place in the american story. millions of americans were sent across the pacific to a little known place to fight in the service of the country that they loved. not only at this hour, but at all times, we remember and carry in our hearts the more than 58,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, coast guardsmen, whose names are inscribed on this dark wall for eternity. for me, personally, this is an especially moving moment. as a member and later chairman of the vietnam era veterans caucus in the house of

representatives, i had the honor to work on the endowment of this memorial. to see the names of soldiers that i served with inscribed on this wall. so see the names of officers who went through rotc with me at santa clara inscribed on this wall. to know my good friend, eberet alvarez, a hero from this war, and a classmate of mine, served with great distinction in that war. no memorial, no memorial better reflects the pain of the sacrifices that were made. many more came home, came home from that war to a country that failed to fully acknowledge their service and their sacrifice and failed to give them the honor they so justly

deserved. that experience, that failure to thank those who were willing to put their lives on the line for this country was burned into the soul of my generation. for too many vietnam veterans, the recognition of their bravery came too late. the vietnam generation, my generation, is graying now. but this commemoration effort gives the country an opportunity today and in the years ahead to try and right the wrongs of the past. to remember those who served in this war. and what they did for us. their service, and their sacrifice on our behalf. last week, i had the opportunity to join the president in paying tribute to a fallen member of

that generation. specialist les sable who posthumously received the medal of honor. les sable died in vietnam saving his brothers in arms. and it was those same brothers from the 101st airborne division who campaigned to re-open the medal of honor process for les more than ten years ago. the story of les, in many ways, is the story of the vietnam war. we forgot, and now we finally remember. next week, as secretary of defense, i'll have the opportunity to travel to vietnam to continue strengthening the growing ties our two countries are reestablishing since 1995.

we've come a long way since the war has ended, and it was the veterans of vietnam who led that way for our two nations to begin the process of trying to heal the wounds of war. today, the department of defense personnel are working diligently to identify and locate the remains of fallen service members missing in action in vietnam. let me assure you, this sacred mission will continue until all of our troops come home and are accounted for. [ applause ] it reflects the determination of our military and our country that we leave no man or woman behind. and to honor those who have honored us with their service, their valor, and their

sacrifice. during the last decade of war, like past generations of warriors, another generation has answered the call to fight and to sacrifice on foreign soil. they have done all this country has asked them to do and more. as they have returned from overseas, america, with our vietnam veterans front and center in the effort, have embraced this new greatest generation of service members, showing that we have learned perhaps the most important lesson to come out of the vietnam war. the debt we owe to those who fight and who die for our freedoms. [ applause ] the president and mrs. obama have done so much to encourage americans to do more to

recognize and support these great patriots. they have led the fight for the men and women who have fought for our nation. as this country faces tough economic times, we must do everything we can to ease the transition of the thousands of service members who will come home from war to civilian life. they fought for us. the least we can do is fight for them. [ applause ] it's now my honor to introduce one of those soldiers who fought in vietnam. senator chuck hagel. he led an infantry squad in vietnam during the bloody fighting following the tet offensive. and like millions of our generation, he demonstrated

bravery, patriotism, and heroism on the battlefield. and he also demonstrated that patriotism and that bravery and that heroism in the life of public service that has followed. chuck, we thank you for honoring us with your presence today and thank you for your commitment to the united states of america. god bless you. [ applause ] >> leon, thank you. i am honored to be among you today. and grateful for an opportunity to say a couple of words before i introduce our special guest this afternoon. this uniquely american day, memorial day, was born over 140 years ago of america's civil war. our most costly and terrible

war. a war that tore at the heart and fabric of our republic. the next war to tiff void america produced this simple and elegant memorial that watches over us today. it reflects the images of the future, as it records the names of the past. memorials are built for the living and are to instruct our destiny, as they honor and remember those who fell in the service of our country. memorials further instruct us of the powerful responsibility of our nation's stewards to make policy worthy of the sacrifices of those who serve and die. war is not an abstraction. it is brutal. it is always accompanied by the haunting portends of dangerous unintended consequences. uncontrollables and unpredictables. even though this is so, america's men and women have always found higher purpose to their lives in service to their country. i often think about those quiet heroes my brother tom and i

served with in vietnam in 1968. and i'm very proud my brother, tom, is here today sitting in the front row. i never knew nor -- thank you. [ applause ] i never knew nor served with a better soldier or a better man than my brother, tom. these quiet heroes who we slogged through jungles with, fought side by side with, were wounded with, and sometimes helplessly watched die always considered themselves just ordinary people. but they were far from ordinary. they viewed themselves as just, well, ordinary because they were humble, pate rriotic and selfle. they never asked for nor expected anything in return for their service other than respect and dignity. tragically what they received upon their return from a conf e confused and angry nation was neither. in fact, they were blamed for the foley that so consumed

america for so many years. the vietnam veterans memorial means many things to many people. not only is there deep meaning and connection with our vietnam veterans and their families to the wall, but so it is with all americans of all generations. among these feelings for vietnam veterans is the responsibility and honor to assist returning veterans from the wars of the last 11 years. assuring that these returning veterans are productively integrated back into society with the appreciation and recognition, befitting a great nation. as we have painfully learned the tragic lessons from vietnam. society must always separate the war from the warrior. we do not celebrate the vietnam war. we commemorate and historically recognize it. as i said at the vietnam veteran memorial groundbreaking on this very site on a cold windy march day in 1982, there is no glory in war, only suffering. life is always more about the

people than the event. the events are stages upon which individuals change the world. and today, we do celebrate a group of people. we celebrate those individual who changed our country for the better. our vietnam veterans and their families. we also recognize those who are ais sissi ii iis assisting our families today in a very special way like the first lady michelle obama and vice president joe biden. the character of a nation is who h chooses to be its leaders and how it respects its veterans. in my lifetime, america has not known two more committed leaders to its men and women in uniform and its veterans and its families than president obama and vice president biden. on behalf of this beautifully creator endow eed land, here to speak for all of us on this special day when we are all americans is the leader of our country, the 44th president of the united states, barack obama.

>> ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the arrival of the fest of honor and remain standing until the colors are retired. ♪ >> the president of the united states, barack obama. first lady michelle obama. vice president biden. vice president biden and dr. biden. ♪ ♪

[ applause ] ♪ ♪

>> colors. present. ♪ o say, can you see by the dawn's early light ♪ ♪ what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? ♪ ♪ whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight ♪ ♪ o'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? ♪ ♪ and the rockets' red glare the bombs bursting in air ♪ ♪ gave proof through the night that our flag was still there ♪ ♪ oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪

♪ o'er the land of the free ♪ ♪ and the home of the brave? ♪ >> right shoulder. color. colors turn.

>> please be seated. >> good afternoon, everybody. chuck, thank you for your words and your friendship and your life of service. veterans of the vietnam war, families, friends, distinguished guests. i know it is hot. but you are here to honor your loved ones and michelle and i

could not be more honored to be here with you. it speaks to the complexity of america's time in vietnam that even now historians cannot agree on precisely when the war began. american advisers had served there and died there as early as the mid '50s. major combat operations would not begin until the mid '60s, but if any year in between illustrated the changing nature of our involvement, it was 1962. it was january in saigon. army pilots strapped on their helmets and boarded their

helicopters. they lifted off, raced over treetops carrying south vietnamese troops. there was a single raid against an enemy stronghold. just a few miles into the jungle. but it was one of america's first major operations in that far away land. 50 years later, we come to this wall, to this sacred place, to remember. we can step toward its granite wall and reach out, touch a name. today is memorial day, when we recall all those who gave everything in the darkness of war so we could stand here in the glory of spring. and today begins the 50th

commemoration of our war in vietnam. we honor each of those names etched in stone. 58,282 american patriots. we salute all who served with them. we stand with the families who love them still. for years, you've come here, to be with them once more. and in the simple things you've left behind, your offerings, your momentos, your gifts. we get a glimpse of the lives they led. the blanket that covered him as a baby. the baseball bat he swung as a boy.

a wedding ring. a photo of the grandchild he never met. the boots he wore still caked in mud. the medals she earned, still shining. and, of course, some of the things left here have special meaning known only to the veterans. a can of beer, a pack of m&m's, a container of spam, an old field ration, still good, still awful. it's here we feel the depth of your sacrifice. and here we see a piece of our larger american story. our founders in their genius gave us a task. they set out to make a more

perfect union. and so it falls to every generation to carry on that work. to keep moving forward, to overcome the sometimes painful past, to keep striving for our ideals. and one of the most painful chapters in our history was vietnam. most particularly how we treated our troops who served there. you're often blamed for a war you didn't start, when you should have been commended for serving your country with valor. you're sometimes blamed for misdeeds of a few. [ applause ] when the honorable service of the many should have been

praised, you came home and sometimes were denigrated when you should have been celebrated. it was a national shame. a disgrace. it should have never happened. that's why here today we resolve that it will not happen again. [ applause ] and so a central part of this 50th anniversary will be to tell your story as it should have been told all along. it's another chance to set the record straight. that's one more way we keep perfecting our union. setting the record straight. and it starts today. because history will honor your service.

your names will join a story of service that stretches back two centuries. let us tell the story of a generation of service members, every color, every creed, rich, poor, officer, and enlisted, who served with just as much patriotism and honor as any before you. let's never forget that most of those who served in vietnam did so by choice. so many of you volunteered. your country was at war, and you said, send me. that includes our women in vietnam. every one of you a volunteer. [ applause ] those who were drafted, they, too, went and carried their burden. you served. you did your duty. you persevered through some of

the most brutal conditions ever faced by americans in war. the suffocating heat, the drenching monsoon rains, an enemy that could come out of nowhere and vanish just as quickly. some of the most intense urban combat in history in battles for a single hill that could rage for weeks. let it be said in those hell holes like brier patch and the hanoy hilton, our vietnam p.o.w.s didn't simply endure, you wrote some of the most extraordinary stories of bravery and integrity in military history. [ applause ] as a nation, we've long celebrated the courage of our forces at normandy, and iwo ji a

jima, the perimeter and heartbreak ridge. so let us also speak of your courage at way and caison, and saigon, from hamburger hill to rolling thunder. all too often it's forgotten that you, our troops in vietnam, won every major battle you fought in. [ applause ] when you came home, i know many of you put your medals away, tucked them in a drawer or a box in the closet. you went on with your lives. started families and pursued careers. a lot of you didn't talk too much about your service. as a consequence, this nation has not always fully appreciated

the chapter of your lives that came next. so let us also tell the story of a generation that came home and how even though some americans turned their back on you, you never turned your back on america. [ applause ] like generations before, you took off the uniform, but you never stopped serving. you became teachers and police officers and nurses. the folks we count on every single day. you became entrepreneurs, running companies and pioneering industries that changed the world. you became leaders and public servants, from town halls to capitol hill, lifting up our communities, our states, our nation. you reminded us what it was like to serve, what it meant to

serve. those of you who stayed in uniform, you rose through the ranks, became leaders in every service. learned from your experience in vietnam and rebuilt our military into the finest force that the world has ever known. [ applause ] and let's remember all those vietnam veterans who came back and served again in the wars in iraq and afghanistan. you did not stop serving. [ applause ] even as you succeeded in all these endeavors, you did something more. maybe the most important thing you did. you looked after each other. when your government didn't live up to its responsibilities, you spoke out. fighting for the care and benefits you had earned and over

time transforming the v.a. and, of course, one of these vietnam veterans is now our outstanding secretary of veterans affairs, rick shinseki. you looked after one another. you cared for one another. people weren't always talking about ptsd at the time. you understood it and you were there for each other. just as importantly, you didn't just take care of your own, you cared for those that followed. you made it your mission to make sure today's troops get the respect and support that all too often you did not receive. [ applause ]

because of you, because our vietnam veterans led the charge, the post-9/11 g.i. bill is helping hundreds of thousands of today's veterans go to college and pursue their dreams. because of you, because you didn't let us forget, and our airports are returning troops, get off the airplane, and you are there to shake their hands. because of you, across america, communities have welcomed home our forces from iraq and when our troops return from afghanistan, america will give this entire 9/11 generation the welcome home they deserve. that happened in part because of you. this is the story of our vietnam

service members. the story that needs to be told. this is what this 50th anniversary is all about. it's another opportunity to say to our vietnam veterans, what we should have been saying from the beginning. you did your job. you served with honor. you made us proud. you came home and you helped build the america that we love and that we cherish. so here today it must be said, you have earned your place among the greatest generations. at this time, i would ask all our vietnam veterans, those of you who can stand, to please stand. all those already standing, raise your hands. as we say those simple words, which always greet our troops when they come home, from here

on out, welcome home. welcome home. welcome home. thank you. we appreciate you. welcome home. [ applause ] today we're calling on all americans and every segment of our society to join this effort. everybody can do something. five decades removed from a time of division among americans, this anniversary can remind us of what we share as americans. that includes honoring our vietnam veterans by never forgetting the lessons of that war. so let us resolve that when america sends our sons and daughters into harm's way, we'll always give them a clear mission, we'll always give them a sound strategy. we will give them the equipment

they need to get the job done. we will have their backs. [ applause ] we will resolve the leaders will be candid about the risks and about progress and have a plan to bring our troops home with honor. let us resolve to never forget the costs of war, including the terrible loss of innocent civilians, and not just in vietnam, but in all wars. we know that while your sacrifice and service is the very definition of glory, war, itself, is not glorious. we hate war. when we fight, we do so to protect ourselves because it's necessary. let's resolve that in our democracy, we can debate and disagree, even in a time of war, but let us never use patriotism

as a political sword. patriots can support a war, patriots can oppose a war. and whatever our view, let us always stand united in support of our troops who we placed in harm's way. that is our solemn obligation. [ applause ] let's resolve to take care of our veterans as well as they've taken care of us. not just talk, but actions. not just in the first five years after a war, but first five decades. for our vietnam veterans, this means the disability benefits for diseases connected to agent orange. it means job opportunities and mental health care to help you stand tall again. it means ending the tragedy of

veterans homelessness, so every veteran who's fought for america has a home in america. you shouldn't have to fight for a roof over your heads when you fought on behalf of the country that you love. [ applause ] and when an american does not come back, including the 1,666 americans still missing from the vietnam war, let us resolve to do everything in our power to bring them home. this is our solemn promise to mothers, like sarah shay who joins us today. 93 years old, who has honored her son, major donald shay jr., missing in action for 42 years. there she is. sarah, thank you for your courage. god bless you. [ applause ]

the promise we're fulfilling today to the maroney family of fayetteville, arkansas. 43 years after he went missing, we can announce that army captain virgil maroney iii is coming home, and he will finally rest in peace. [ applause ] you know, some have called this war era a scar on our country, but here's what i say. as any wound heals, the tissue around it becomes tougher. becomes stronger than before.

and in this sense, finally, we might begin to see the true legacy of vietnam. because of vietnam and our veterans, we now use american power smarter, we honor our military more, we take care of our veterans better. because of the hard lessons of vietnam, because of you, america is stronger than before. [ applause ] and finally, on this anniversary, and all the years to come, let us remember what binds us as one people. this is important for all of us, whether you taugfought in the vietnam war, fought against it, whether you were too young to be shaked by it. it is important that our children understand the sacrifices that were made by our troops in vietnam. that for them this is more than just a name in the history

books. it's important we know the lesson of a gift once left at this memorial. it was toward the end of the day, and most of the tourists and visitors had departed. and there it was. a football helmet, black with white stripes, and a wristband. and with them was a handwritten note. and it was from a young man, still in high school. mind you, this was more than two decades after vietnam. that high school student was born years after the war had already ended. but in that short handwritten note, he captured the reverence, the bonds between generations, that bring us here today. the letter began, "dear vietnam veterans, here are two things from me to you that i think you should have." he explained it was his helmet

from midget football and his wristband from his senior year. so today i want to close with the words he wrote. "in these two pieces of equipment, i was allowed to make mistakes, correct them, grow, and mature as a person. however, that was on my battlefield. you didn't get the chance to do that on your battlefield. some of you were forced to grow up too fast. all of you died too soon. we do have many things in common, though. we both have pride, heart, and determination. i'm just sorry you guys had to learn those qualities too fast, and that is why i'm giving you what i grew up with. you are true heroes and you will

never be forgotten." that's from a high school kid. born decades after the end of the war. and that captures the spirit that this entire country should embrace. veterans, families of the vietnam war, i know the wounds of war are slow to heal. you know that better than most. but today we take another step. the task of telling your story continues. the work of perfecting our union goes on. and decades from now, i hope another young american will visit this place and reach out and touch a name and she'll learn the story of service members, people she never met, who fought a war she never knew, and in that moment of understanding, of gratitude, and

of grace, your legacy will endure. for you are all true heroes, and you will all be remembered. may god bless you, may god bless your families, may god bless our men and women in uniform, and may god bless these united states of america. >> the president of the united states in front of the vietnam memorial. i want to bring back general wesley clark, general barry mccaffrey. we have just a minute left, but your closing thoughts on this day. general mccaffrey? >> well, i thought it was a magnificent tribute. 2.5 million of us served in vietnam in country, 350,000 killed and wounded. this is the first president and the first chairman, marty dempsey, who aren't products of the vietnam era. so i thought their comments were overwhelmingly appropriate. >> general clark? >> great comments, tied together

the feelings with the lessons learned, with the sacrifices, and brought tonight the vietnam generation with the generation that's serving today in iraq and afghanistan. i thank the president. i think it's a great set of sentiments and great set of remarks. >> our thanks to you both, generals. our thanks to all who have served as we remember on this memorial day, 50 years after the start of the vietnam war, but we honor all those who have served and we thank them. 58,282 names on that wall. that wraps up things for me. thank you for being with us on this memorial day. we now join.

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for a lot of people, doing time is never easy. and i think most of their struggles with it are within themselves. and so they can't see any light at the end of the tunnel. >> it's been one week since gaylan and andrew dikeman entered usp. they've been transferred to uenta 3 which contains overflow housing for new arrivals. >> i'm thinking more on the lines of changing my life now. because i'm getting a little too old for this, you know? prison. i mean, i got to grow up sometime and i don't know when it's going to be. >> you kind of keep to yourself because you never know who's out here to get you.

my cell mate's in here for murder. so it's real, you know, it's kind of scary, hard to go to sleep knowing you're surrounded by all these people. >> randy russell has been struggling with drug addiction. unable to take his methadone prescription, he is suffering from withdrawal. >> your body starts twitching. it's mad. it twitches and keeps fighting. won't let you get in any kind of comfortable position. suicide crossed my mind a few times. >> i could tell that he was struggling, and having difficulty dealing with the idle time in here. i gave him this book by frankle. >> it makes a lot of sense, how it talks about if you gain a little of hope or have something on the streets like a wife or kids, then you have something to hold on to. >> tuesdays are release days at usb. jedd strong has just finished

serving pan 11 month sentence fr possession. >> nervous to get back on the streets. i met a lot of people that have a lot of knowledge. they gave me some advice that i got to take with me. >> without any family members to pick him up, jedd will be transferred by parole officers to the parole office. meanwhile, frank is being released after serving 14 months for forgery, possession, and distribution of a controlled substance. >> there's your daddy. >> frank is seeing his daughter for the first time in 14 months. >> i love you, baby. >> i love you. >> this lit girl's been waiting, talking to him every week. on the phone. >> this baby girl doesn't do it, and this grandma of his doesn't keep him on the straight and narrow, he's going to get the tar beat out of him. >> my dadaddy. >> happy to have daddy home? >> uh-huh. >> upon release, all offenders are required to check in at the

adult probation and parole reporting center. >> what's your name? >> strong. jedd strong. >> jedd will enter a halfway house, where he'll have to look for a job and undergo substance abuse therapy. >> i want you to check in every tuesday until you get an agent. >> many inmates who don't have anywhere to go end up here, the salt lake transitional housing center. these parolees have just been released today. >> one of the first goals is to find a job with the idea of being able to afford, find a place to live and get on out of here. >> i'm going to look for anything, any place that will hire me. it's hard for a felon to get a job. >> residents are required to check in and out with an officer. paychecks must be turned in each week for room and board, restitution fees, and child support. >> compared to prison, obviously, the restrictions are much less than what they've been used to. >> it's nice to walk around in the city.

you know, to meet real people other than other mail inmates, you know? and my freedom is everything to me. you know, you don't have freedom when you're in penitentiary. >> with a family to provide support, frank is one of the lucky ones. frank arrives after a haircut and a change of clothes to change his offender status from prisoner to parolee. >> regardless of how well or how bad your life is going, you have to report. we're going to come out to your home. >> okay. >> if we believe there's a reason to look around, we're going to ask to look around. you can't have weapons, possession of a firearm is a federal offense. because you're a convicted felon. you should always come to the office ready to give urine. >> frank will face random drug testing as part of his parole. any positive urine test and frank could be sent right back to usp. >> i spoke marijuana, my distribution was for mushrooms. >> every time i get out i end up getting high again. i hope this is different. i'm scared, though. >> frank's 30 years old.

and that's where offenders are usually on the cusp. where they'll start aging out, slow down and start making responsible decisions. you'll hear a lot, i'm too old for this, too tired for this. >> if you're not hanging out with the bad guys, if you're not using drugs, if you're empl employed -- >> it shouldn't be a problem. >> exactly. >> you're going to move on, this is going to be the first day of the rest of your life. >> that's how i'm trying to look at it. >> statistics show if an offender is able to stay in the community for six months, they have a 30% chance of completing parole. that percentage rises to 50% if they're able to stay out a year without reoffending. >> ready to go, baby? >> daddy. >> i don't know if there's anything i can do to make up for it. hopefully i can be a good dad and be an active member of society and not take from people. try to give back some of what i took. hopefully that will be enough.

>> prison officials say nearly half of those paroled return to prison within the first year. that's our report. thanks for watching. i'm john seigenthaler. due to mature subject matter, viewer discretion is advised. >> they're the inmates whose stories we'll never forget. and whose lives have taken twists you'll never believe. now we reveal whatever became of paul komyatti. >> never see ame in khaki again >> twin brothers sleigh l and tye. >> thy wedded wife